Fiber Optic Cable: Single Mode Patch Cable or Multimode Patch Cable?

Fiber optic cable is ubiquitous nowadays to increase network speed and performance. There exist various flavors of fiber optic cable, among which fiber patch cables (fiber jumper cables) are preferable options for using in data centers. There are two variations of fiber patch cables: single mode patch cable and multimode patch cable. So for practical use, is there any difference between single mode patch cable and its multimode counterparts? How about the application scenarios of each. This article explains it from scratch.

Single Mode Patch Cable Overview

Single mode patch cable (single mode fiber jumper) has a core of 8 to 10 microns. In single mode patch cable, light travels toward the center of the core in a single wavelength – this allows the signal to travel over longer distances with relatively less signal loss. Most single mode patch cable is color-coded yellow. Single mode fiber jumper is the best choice for transmitting data over long distances.

Multimode Patch Cable Overview

Unlike single mode patch cable, multimode patch cable has a core of either 50 or 62.5 microns - the larger core gathers more light compared to single mode fiber patch cables. Although more cost-effective than single mode patch cable, multimode cabling only maintain signal quality over short distances. Multimode patch cable is generally color-coded orange (OM1, OM2) or aqua (OM3, OM4). Multimode patch cables are a good choice for transmitting data and voice signals over shorter distances.

Single Mode Patch Cable vs Multimode Patch Cable: How to Choose?

Should I adopt single mode fiber patch cable or multimode version? It totally depends on your network requirements. Single mode patch cable usually used for connections over large areas, such as college campuses and remote offices. Single mode fiber jumper has a higher bandwidth than multimode cable to deliver up to twice the throughput. Multimode patch cables, however, quite contrary to single mode fiber patch cables, are typically used for data and audio/visual applications in local-area networks, and connections within buildings or remote office in close proximity to one another.

Summery

Fiber optic cable with reliable quality is critical for your network performance. Single mode patch cable and multimode patch cable each has unique pros and cons and different using scenarios. Generally, single mode patch cable is best used for distances exceeding 550 meters while multimode cable is more cost-effective for applications up to 550 meters. Nowadays, there is an increasing tendency to choose single mode fiber patch cable, since many service provides will only do single mode cabling for new installs.